Garment hanger



P 1937- H. L. JOHNSON I 9 2,091,992

GARMENT HANGER Original Filed April 8, 193's INVENTOR. #07266 Z. {Ta/$775077.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 7, v1937 GARMENT HANGER Horace L. Johnson, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Cleaners Hanger Company, a corporation of Michigan Application April 8, 1933, Serial No. 665,167

Renewed March 12, 1936 11 Claims.

This invention relates to garment hangers, an object thereof being to provide a garment hanger of improved construction which will be strong and serviceable in use and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger in which the frame is of nonmetallic material formed from a single length of tubing preferably composed of a number of plies of fibre stock, such as paper strips or other suitable material, spirally wound into tubular form, the tubing being compressed or flattened at predetermined points and bent into the desired shape for the attachment of a hanger hook.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved garment hanger having a one piece frame of fibrous multi-ply tubing fashioned into substantially triangular shape with the ends of the tubing joined by means of a hanger hook.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a view, partly broken away, illustrating a length of tubing composed of spirally wound strips of fiber stock. i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating the tube after the stamping operation and preparatory to fashioning the same into the hanger frame. Fig. 3 is a section taken through lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a. section taken through lines 4-4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating a garment hanger embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a section taken through lines |'I of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In its preferred form herein illustrated by way of example the frame of the garment hanger is fashioned from a length of tubing composed o a number of plies of fiber stock. Preferably the tubing is produced from a series of fiber strips spirally wound in lapped relation so as to increase the strength and rigidity of the frame formed from the tubing. Where the tubing is of multi-ply character composed of spirally wound strips, the tubing may be produced in general by feeding the fiber strips in succession to a fixed spirally formed arbor, the strips being successively lapped and carrying a coating of adhesive material so that they will be cemented together during the operation. A driven belt or belts looped tightly around the tubing operate to turn the tubing on the arbor as it is being formed, thus pulling off the strips from the feed rolls so that the formed tubing will be composed of a number of spiral plies arranged with the layers in lapped relation.

After the production of the fiber tubing having a laminated wall structure made up of a series of plies or layers of fiber stock, such as shown in Fig. 3, the tubing may be cut into sections III of suitable length for forming the hanger frames. The tube section In is then stamped by a die operation substantially in the form shown in Fig. 2, and as a result of this stamping operation the tube section is provided with flattened portions II and I2 in which the plies of the tube wall are compressed together as illustrated for example in Fig. 4. In the same or a succeedin die operation the ends of the tube section are flattened at I3 and M. The flat end portion I3 is preferably formed square as illustrated in Fig. 2 and the opposite end It is preferably punched with a rounded end. The flattened ends l3 and M of the tubing are also provided with notches l5 and I6 adapted to be alined when the tubing is formed into the hanger frame.

The tube section illustrated in Fig. 2 may then be bent at the flattened areas II and I2 into a substantially closed frame which is preferably triangular in shape as illustrated in Fig. 5. This frame comprises a lower horizontal bar l1 and converging arms l8 and ill, the flattened ends of which being lapped as illustrated so that the notches l5 and I6 will be in alinement. It will be noted that in forming the flattened end It v the tubing is pressed so as to provide a transverse shoulder 20, and with the tube section bent in the manner shown in Fig. 5 the squared end of the flat portion l3 will abut against the shoulder 20. A wire hanger hook'2l is connected to I the upper end of the hanger frame, this hook having a shank 22 terminating in a, cop 123 adapted to fit into the alined notches l and It, the loop being clinched or closed by pressure so asto clamp the flattened ends I3 and I4 rigidly together. From this construction it will 5 be .seen that the ends ofthe bent tubing will be fastened together in such manner as to prevent separation when a load is placed upon the frame,

,and this is assisted by the engagement of the square end of the portion I! with the shoulder or abutment 20.

The foregoing construction provides a hanger frame of considerable strength and rigidity which is' adapted to sustain without distortion greater loads than ordinary wire hangers. The spiral winding of the fiber laminations increases the rigidity of the frame. The tubular fiber construction, moreover, possesses a high degree of elasticity or spring so as to effectually resist any tendency to be bent out of shape. It will also be noted that the diameter of the sides of the frame may be increased, and the corners II and I2 widened, without sacrificing lightness, thus conforming better to the garment shape.

'In the present preferred form I have provided an effective means for increasing the strength of the sides of the frame. The cross bar I! may be stamped or pressed by a die operation, preferably at the same time the tubing is fiattened as above described, to provide a longitudinal reinforcing rib 24. Although only the bar I! is herein shown integrally reinforced, it is understood that the invention contemplates similar or equivalent ribbing of all or any of the sides I I, I8 and It. This construction permits,

if desired, the use of even smaller diameter tubing while enhancing the strength of the frame and affording effectual resistance tobending.

It is understood that the invention contemplates various embodiments other than the speciflc form herein illustrated. For example, the

tubing may be provided with integral flattened bends at the three corners of the frame and the free ends joined or coupled together at the base of the frame by means of a section of fiber tubing telescoped over the ends and forming the major part of the lower cross bar. With such a construction the upper sides of the frame may be made of smaller diameter tubing than the cross bar. If desired the ends may nearly abut and a short coupling telescoped over the ends. Moreover, the shank of the wire hook may then extend through a hole in the flattened upper corner of the frame with its end anchored, thus permitting the hook to swivel.

In forming the tubing preparatory to bending it will be noted that the fiber plies or strips are preferably cemented together by means of liquid or semi-liquid cement. Hence, at the completion of this process of fabricating the tubing the tube walls will ordinarily be moist and pliable due to the absorption of moisture from the cement. While in this condition and while the cement is still tacky or unset, the tubing is subjected to pressure to form the flattened and rein- 5 forced or ribbed areas, and also preferably'to form the bends at such areas. Due to the moist condition of the fibers this distortion of the tube wall will not break or crack the tubing. Hence, a permanent deformation of the compacted fl- 70 bers will be produced at the formed areas upon permanent setting of the cement and drying of the fibers, providing strength and rigidity at the corners of the frame and in the reinforced areas.

I claim:

75 1. The method of making a coat hanger which comprises coiling a plurality of strips of fiber stock into multi-ply tubing, stamping the tubing while in pliable condition to form spaced fiat permanently deformed portions in the length thereof, bending the tubing at said flat portions to bring its ends into juxtaposition, and fastening said ends together.

2. The method of forming a coat hanger from a tube formed of fibrous stock, which comprises stamping the tube while in moist deformable condition to provide spaced flat portions in its length and also to flatten the ends of the tube, bending the tube at said portions to overlap said ends, and fastening the ends together with a hanger hook.

3. In the method of forming a coat hanger having a tubular three sided or substantially triangular frame, the steps of forming fiber sheet material into a multi-ply tube with a coating of cement between adjacent plies, and compressing the tube wall while the cement is still tacky to flatten and engage together opposed wall portions of the tube andto produce a permanent deformation of the tube wall fibers in said compressed area or areas upon permanent setting of the cement.

4. In the method of forming a coat hanger having a tubular three sided or substantially triangular frame, the steps of forming fiber sheet material into a multi-ply tube with a coating of cement between adjacent plies, flattening together under pressure opposed portions of the tube wall and bending the tube at said flattened area while the cement is substantially un-set to produce a permanent deformation of the tube of the cement.

5. In the method of forming a coat hanger 7 having a tubular three sided or substantially triangular frame, the steps of forming fiber sheet material into a multi-ply tube with a coating of cement between adjacent plies, compressing the tube wall while the cement is still tacky to engage together opposed wall portions of the tube and to produce a permanent deformation of the tube wall fibers in-said compressed area or areas upon permanent setting of the cement, and bending said tube at said compressed area or areas prior to the setting of the cement.

6. The method of making a coat hanger which comprises stamping a length of multi-ply tubing while in pliable condition to form spaced flat permanently deformed portions in the length thereof, bending the tubing at said flat portions to bring its ends into juxtaposition, and fastening the ends together.

7. A substantially triangular coat hanger formed of a length of tubular multi-ply fibrous stock having its plies cemented together, said stock being flattened at the bends of the stock and being retained in flattened form by the cement, the ends of said length of stock being overlapped, and a hook having its shank engaging said ends and securing them in overlapped relation.

8. A coat hanger comprising a substantially triangular frame,primarily formed of fibrous -multi-ply tubing, said tubing being flattened at 10. A coat hangercomprising tubular portions ing an adhesive interconnecting its plies, fiathaving flattened and overlapped ends and downtening a portion 0! the tube to bring into proxwardly diverging from such ends, and a supportimity opposed walls of such portion, and bending hook having a shank looped around and iningthe tube at such portion prior to drying of 5 terconnecting the flattened ends and maintaining the adhesive, whereby drying of the adhesive 5 their flattened form. tends to maintain the flattened and bent form 11. A method of forming a coat hanger havoi the tube. ing a tubular portion, comprising the steps of forming sheet material into a multi-ply tube hav- HORACE L. JOHNSON. 

